Bobbin release for weft replenishing looms



Nov. 2, 1937. w. H. WAKEFIELD BOBBIN RELEASE FOR WEFT REPLEVNISHING LOOMS Filed June 1, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 mf il Inventv WaJter H.WaKef-r,eld du /P W Attorney Nov. 2, 1937. w. H. WAKEFIELD BOBBIN RELEASE FOR WEFT REPLENISHING LOOMS Filed June l, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor Waier H Wakeflelaf.

Attorney Patented Nov. 2, 1937 omiso srArs-s PATENTN o'FFics BOBBIN RELEASE FOR VVEFT REPLENISHING LOOMS Walter H. Wakefield, Worcester, Mass., assignor to Crompton & Knowles Loom Works, Worcester, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application June 1, 1936, Serial No. 82,830

12 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in weft replenishing looms more particularly of the multicolor type and it is the general object of the invention to provide improved means for releasing an untransferred bobbin.

In the type of multicolor weft replenishing loom commonly used in this country the reserve bobbins of differing' colors are arranged in adjacent vertical stacks 'and at the time of transfer a bobbin is drawn from the stack corresponding to the exhausted shuttle and moves to a common transfer position. Transferring means later push the reserve bobbin into the shuttle against the action of yielding supports whichrhold the k bobbin temporarily over the shuttle. If for any reason the shuttle shoul-d not be properly boxed on the transferring beat, a shuttle `feeler revokes the transfer, in which case the reserve bobbin is left on the yielding supports in transfer position. with `a series of weaving shuttles any one of which may become active it is necessary to rid the magazine of the untransferred bobbin so that if the next transfer called for is a diierent color J there will be no confusion in pattern effects.

In order to accomplish this general result it has been customary heretofore to move the rear bobbin supports backwardly to provide an open throat in the magazine large enough to pass the 3o bobbin. With such a release, however, the forward supports remain at rest` and the bobbin moves Vdown their inclined supporting surfaces in a direction having a rearward component toward the lay. This rearward discharge occasionally results in breakage dueto the fact that the reserve bobbin is caught either in front of or on some part .carried by the lay and forced against a part of the magazine.

,It is an important object of my present inven- 40 tion to reverse the method heretofore employed and move the forward supports forwardly so that as the bobbin rolls down the rear supports it will have a direction of motion with a forward component away from the lay, resulting in a lessened likelihood that the falling bobbin will become entangled with the lay.

Looms of the typespecied are now constructed with a front bobbin butt support which yields against a relatively heavy spring pressure and a forward tip support yielding against light pressure. It is a further object of vmy present invention to connect these two supports together in such a way that movement of the butt support will cause movement of the tip support.

It is a further object oi my invention, to con- Ina-smuch as looms of this type operate nect the front butt support with a shuttle feeler and cause the latter when being reset after either a normal or revoked transfer to move the support to bobbin releasing position. I do not wishY to be limited, however, to the use of a shuttle feeler to eiect releasing movement of the bobbin butt support.

Heretofore, the transfer latch and shuttlefeel-l er have been held yieldingly in transfer position by a spring lock operated by a top rocking shaft on the magazine. It is a further object of my invention to use the heavy spring for the'bobbin butt support to hold the shuttle feeler and transfer latch yieldingly in position, the spring operating to move the feeler, latch and support to transfer position. A connection between the support and shuttle feeler cooperates with the spring to form a yielding toggle lock acting similarly to the previously used lock which is not now necessary? With these and other objects in View which h willappear as the `description proceeds, my invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein a convenient embodiment of my invention is set Q5 forth,

Fig. 1 is an end elevation of a multicolor weft replenishing mechanism having my invention applied thereto as viewed from the center of the loom, the magazine being set for transfer,

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on line 2 2, of Fig. 1, Y I Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the lower part of the magazine, taken in the direction of arrow 3.

Fig. 4 is a View similar to the lower portion o f 35 Fig. l but with the shuttle feeler and bobbin supports reset in normal position,

Fig. 5 is a detailed end elevation of the lower part of the outside or tip end of the magazine, and taken in the direction of arrow 5, Fig. 3,

Fig. 6 is a detailed front elevation ofV an upper part of the magazine taken in the direction of arrow 6, Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, I have shown a loom frame .I 0 supporting a magazine M having pivoted 45 thereon a transfer lever I I which supports a latch holder I2. A latch I3 in the holder is adapted for engagement with a bunter i4 on the lay L on transferring beats of the loom.

The magazine includes in its i construction a 50 vertically reciprocating block I5 to which is pivoted an actuator lever I6 one end of which isattached pivotally to a vertical rod II. The latter has operative engagement with a colorslide I8 to give the latter rocking-motions in op- 55 posite directions. Vertical bobbin releasing slides I9, 20, 2I and 22 are provided, respectively, for the weaving shuttles of the loom. In the present instance it is assumed that the loom operates with four different shuttles which are operative one at a time in a succession determined by the pattern mechanism not shown. The slide I8 may be positioned longitudinally by a lever 23 controlled b-y the box motion so that one or another of the slides I9, 2i), 2| or 22 will be placed for lifting by the color slide I8 when the detector mechanism not shown indicates exhaustion of weft in the active shuttle.

The rock shaft 30 in the upper part of the magazine is adapted for slight rocking motion whenever a` previously elevated vertical slide is depressed by the color slide. When the shaft 3i! is rocked preparatory to a transferring operation, a shuttle feeler SI is dropped from its normal elevated position shown in Fig. 4 to the transferring and shuttle feeling position shown in Fig. 1. The shuttle feeler is mounted on a carrier 32 pivoted as at 33 to the magazine frame and to a rod 3 at 35. The upper end of rod 34 is connected to arm 36 secured to the shaft 30. The forward end of rocker shaft 3D, right hand end in Fig. l, has secured thereto an arm 3l carrying a block 38 to move in a slot 39 formed in an arm 4!) of a rocking lever 4I. The latter is pivoted as at i2 to the magazine frame and is attached to a depending rod 43 the lower end dfi of which extends under the latch I3. A stop screw l5 in the arm 40 is positioned for engagement with a part 16 of the magazine frame to limit motion of shaft 3i).

' The magazine is essentially the same as that set forth in prior patent to Ryon No. 1,030,748, to which reference may be had for further description. It is considered sufficient for the present description to state that normally the latch I3 is down and the shuttle feeler 3l up, and that they move to the other extremes of their motion, as in Fig. l, when the magazine is set for transfer.

In order that a reserve bobbin B may be held in transfer position there are usually provided four supports all of which at the present time are made yielding. The rear butt support G is suspended on a link 5I pivoted at 52 to the magazine frame and extends rearwardly and upwardly to have engagement with an arm 53 pivoted to the magazine frame. The support 5S has a downwardly and forwardly extending bobbin guiding surface 55 which may be rounded somewhat as indicated in Fig. 1. This surface will ordinarily bear the relation to the bobbin B awaiting transfer as set forth in Fig. l, the lower part of the surface 55 extending forwardly and under the rear part of the butt of the b-obbin. A spring 51 connected to the support 533 renders the latter yielding and during normal transfer said support moves tothe left as viewed in Fig. 1 as the butt of the bobbin is pushed down into the shuttle S by the transfer arm II. For further details as to the construction and operation of the support 50 reference may be had to Ryon Patent No. 1,366,950;

The front of the bobbin butt is held by a second support 60 having a bobbin guiding surface 6I which extends downwardly and rearwardly, terminating in a substantially vertical portion 62. A bridge 63 connects the support to with an arm 64 pivoted' to the magazine frame at 55, and ar spring 56 acts to turn the support Ei@ in right hand direction around pivot 65. The bridge engages the bottom of the magazine frame to act asa stop and limit motion of the support under action of the spring. At the time of transfer the spring 66, which is stronger than spring 5i, will hold the surface 32 relatively immovable with respect to the magazine so that rear support 5G yields in order to permit the bobbin butt to move into the shuttle. Support t@ may be substantially the same as shown in Patent No. 1,652,- 604.

At the outer end of the magazine there are provided rear and front yielding tip supports 83 and 8l, respectively, each mounted on parallel suspension links 82 and held yieldingly by springs S3 in position to support the tip of the bobbin. The rear support Sii has a downwardly and forwardly extending tip guiding surface S which is extended downwardly slightly at the lower end thereof to afford support for the tip of the bobbin. The front support Si has a somewhat similar surface 85 extending downwardly and rearwardly. The tip supports Sii and 8i may be substantially the same as shown in Patent No. 1,563,592.

Except as to be noted hereinafter the matter thus far described is of common construction, being substantially the same as set forth in the previously mentioned patents all of which are used in the commercial multicolor bobbin changing magazines as built in this country.

As previously stated, failure of the shuttle S to be properly boxed on a beat of the loom intended for transfer will cause the inner tip end of the shuttle to engage the shuttle feeler 3i and raise the same from the position of Fig. 1 to that of Fig. 4, thereby rocking the shaft 3B in such a direction as to depress rod 43 and permit the latch 3l to descend by gravity. This revokes the transfer but leaves the bobbin B in transferring position. In View of the fact that the pattern may call for a cha-nge in the active shuttle on the next beat of the loom it is necessary to discharge the untransferred bobbin from the magazine.

In order to accomplish this result I provide an operating connection between the shuttle feeler 3l and the front butt support ii. This connection includes a rod head gli adjustably mounted on a rod Si and provided with a substantially horizontal slot 32 into which projects a pin 93 secured to the arrn 543 of the butt support 60. The rear end of the rod Si is pivoted to the shuttle feeler holder as at 3ft. The reiation of the axes 33, Sli and the pin S3 is such that when the shuttle feeler is in the position shown in Fig. 1 the axis 9i will be below a line joining axis 33 with the pin 9S and the support 5o will be in its rearward bobbin holding position, being held there by the heavy spring 65 which transmits its force through the rod Si and tends to hold the shuttle feeler yieldingly locked by toggle action in down position. Spring 66 also exerts a downward force on rod 34 tending to hold rock shaft 30 in transfer position with the latch I3 elevated. When the shuttle feeler is in its normal elevated position the axis 94 is` slightly above a line joining axis 33 and pin 93, the spring 6G under these conditions holding the shuttle feeler yieldingly locked in raised position, and by previously described connections serving also to hold shaft 3! in normal non-transferring position with the latch I3 down.

In operation, the parts will be in the position indicated in Fig. 4 with the shuttle feeler 3! raised and with the front bobbin butt support 60 in forward non-holding position. When a transfer is called as previously described the shuttle feeler and holder 32 will turn in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1 about axis 33 and move down faoerrgeso generally the same as that ofthe advancing lay to the shuttle` feeling position shownl inFig. 1, the force of the spring 65 acting through the rod `9| and assisting gravity in moving thepshuttle feeler down to feeling or transfer position.

/In view of the fact that the center s4 under these conditions is at a distance. below a line joining centers 33 and 93 greater than that existing when the parts are in the position shown `the same from the position shown in Fig. l

to that shown in Figf4.. The shuttle back carries the shuttle f-eeler almost to its highest position, but as the center 94 raises above a line joining axis 33 and 93, the spring 56 will continue the upward motion of the shuttle feeler, moving the latter somewhat above the box back so that on successive forward beats of the lay there will be no contact between the boxback and the shuttle feeler. l

If the transfer is revoked, however, the shuttle will raise the shuttle feeler from the position of Fig. 1 to that of Fig. 4, and in doing so will exert a forward thrust on rod Si which will be transmitted through the head 99 to the axis 93, thereby causing rocking ofthe shuttle feeler Sii in a left hand direction around its pivot as viewed in Fig. 1. This occurs while the rear bobbin butt support 50 is stationary, hence the butt of the bobbin rolls down along the surface 55, and since the latter is directed forwardly the bobbin will move not only downwardly but` also frontwardly as indicated iii/Fig. 4, where Vthe front of the loom is at theV right. It is to be understood that even though transfer is revoked by a misplaced shuttle resulting in the elevation ofthe shuttle feeler, yet the ultimate setting of the magazine is effected by engagement of box back Hifi and the shuttle feeler as the lay appreaches its extreme forward position. Y

In order that the tip end of the bobbin may also be directed forwardly as it drops the support 50 has secured thereto a rod lili which extends in a direction parallel to the bobbin awaiting transfer and lies behind a lug lli on the bobbin tip support 8l As the support 60 is moved forwardly rod H0 will move fromV the full to the dotted line I position shown in Fig. 5, moving the support 8l to the dotted line position away from the tip of the bobbin, permitting the latter to roll down the forwardly extending surface 3i of the rear support 8U, the tip of the bobbin therefore moving forwardly as indicated in Fig. 5, where the front of the loom is at the left.

It has been common practice heretofore to re-V lease the rear butt support for an untransferred bobbin, the discharged bobbin being required to move down the front supports and be directed rearwardly toward the lay. VAs set forth hereinbefore it will be understood that the release of the forward bobbin supports permits the discharging bobbin to move along th-e rear supports and to derive from the latter a direction of motion which is forward relatively to the lay, as indicated clearly in Figs. 4 and 5. The effect of this is to lessen the likelihood of breakage inasmuch as the outgoing bobbin is given a direction of motion andaway from the latter. Y i

From the foregoing itwill be seen that I have provided simple means for permitting an untrans- `ferred bobbin to be discharged from the Ymagazine in a direction which is generally forward as well as down, thereby moving the outgoing bobbin along a path which is forward with respect to the lay and lessening the likelihood of breakage. It will also be seen that spring 62 acts through the connections already described to control the positionof the shuttle feeler, the rock shaft 3i) and the latch I3. It should be noted that the structure -sho'wn .in Fig. 6 omits the compression spring ordinarily. employed between arm 31 and `lever It will also be seen that actuation of thebutt support 5G serves to give a forward motion to the front tip support 8l so that both ends of Vthe bobbin are permitted to move'forwardly at discharge. Y I

Having thus described my invention it will be seen that changesV and modifications may be `made 4therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and I do not wish to be limited to the details'h'erein disclosed, but what I claim is:

l. In a weft replenishing loom, a lay movable back and forth therein, rear bobbin supports having downwardly and forwardly inclined-surfaces to assist in supporting a bobbin in transfer position over the lay when the latter \is forward, front yieldable supports for the bobbin in transfer position, and means movable by a force derived from the lay to move theY front supports forwardly to release an untransferred bobbin, the latter thereupon rolling downwardly and forwardly along the rear supports along a path extending forwardly with respect to the lay. Y

2. In a weft-replenishing loom, a lay movable back and forth therein, rearbobbin supports having downwardly and forwardly inclined surfaces to assist in supporting a bobbin in transfer position over the lay when the latter is forward, a pair of spaced yieldable supports' for the front of the bobbin, an element moving-with the lay, and means operated by the element to move saidfront supports forwardly to release an untransferred bobbin, the latter thereupon rolling down the rear supports in a direction forwardly with respect to the lay.

3. In a weft replenishing loom, a lay movable back and forththerein, rear bobbin supports having downwardly and forwardly inclined surfaces to assist in supporting a bobbin in transfer position over the lay when the latter is forward, a pair of spaced yieldable supports for the front of the bobbin, and means operated by the lay and effective subsequent to the time for the beginning of a normal transfer operation to move the forward supports forwardly, the untransferred bobbin thereupon rolling down the rear supports in a direction forwardly with respect to the lay.

4. In a weft replenishing loom, a lay movable back and forth therein, rear bobbin supports having downwardly and forwardly inclined surfaces to assist in supporting a bobbin in transfer position over the lay when the latter is forward, a yieldable front bobbin butt support, a yieldable front Vbobbin tip support movable by the butt support, a member having an operating movement subsequent to the normal time for the start of a transfer operation, and means operated by the member to move the front butt support forwardly and also cause forward movement of the front tip support, whereupon the untransferred bobbin rolls down the downwardly and forwardly inclined surfaces of the rear supports along a path extending forwardly with respect to the lay.

5. In a weft replenishing loom, a reserve bobbin magazine, a lay movable back and forth under the magazine, means to support a bobbin in transfer position when the magazine is set for transfer and including a downwardly and forwardly inclined surface to engage and position the rear of a bobbin in transfer position, mechanism to reset the magazine subsequent to the normal time for beginning of a transfer operation, and means operated by the mechanism to release an untransferred bobbin and cause the latter under the action of gravity to move down said forwardly and downwardly inclined surface along a path extending forwardly with respect to the lay,

6. In a weft replenishing loom, a lay movable back and forth therein, rear bobbin supports having downwardly and forwardly inclined surfaces to assist in supporting a bobbin in transfer position over the lay when the latter is forward, a shuttle feeler effective to revoke a transfer, front yieldable supports to cooperate With the first named supports to position a bobbin for transfer, the bobbin remaining on said supports after a revoked transfer, and means rendering the shuttle feeler operative to move the front supports forwardly to release the untransferred bobbin, the latter rolling along the downwardly and forwardly inclined surfaces of the rear supports and moving along a path extending forwardly with respect to the lay.

'7. In a weft replenishing loom, a magazine for reserve bobbins, a lay movable backwardly and forwardly under the magazine, means to position a bobbin for transfer including downwardly and forwardly extending surfaces in engagement with the rear of a bobbin in transfer'position, a member having an operating movement subsequent to the normal time for the start of a transfer operation, and means operated by the member to free the bobbin so that the latter is able to roll under gravity along the downwardly and forwardly extending surfaces in a path extending forwardly with respect to the lay.

8. In a weft replenishing loom, a shuttle feeler, a transfer latch, a yieldable bobbin support to hold a bobbin in transfer position, means connecting the support and shuttle feeler, means connecting the shuttle feeler and latch to cause said latch andv shuttle feeler to move together, and a single spring tending to move the support to bobbin holding position and operative through both of said means to position the shuttle feeler and latch.

9, In a weft replenishing loom, a shuttle feeler, a transfer latch, a yieldable bobbin support to hold a bobbin in transfer position, means connecting the support and shuttle feeler, means connecting the shuttle feeler and latch to cause said latch and shuttle feeler to move together, and a single spring connected to the support tending to move the latter to bobbin holding position and acting through the first named means to position the shuttle feeler. c

10. In a weft replenishing loom, a shuttle feeler element, a transfer latch element, a bobbin support element, means to connect the support element to the feeler element and cause them to move together, other means connecting the feeler element and latch element causing them to move together, and a spring acting on one of the elements and operative through both of said means to position all of the elements.

11. In a weft replenishing loom, a shuttle feeler element movable from normal to shuttle feeling and transfer position, a transfer latch element movable from normal idle to transfer position, a bobbin support element movable from non-supporting to supporting transfer position, means to cause said elements to move together,

and a single spring for said elements to cause H all the elements to move to transfer position.

l2. In a weft replenishing loom, a shuttle feeler element, a bobbin support element, both elements movable from normal to transfer position, a connection between the elements causing them to move together, said connection and one of the elements constituting a toggle lock to hold the elements in normal or transfer position, a transfer latch element movable from normal to transfer position, connections between the feeler and latch elements causing them to move together from normal to transfer position, and a spring for said elements to hold the toggle lock yieldingly in position and act through said connections to move the elements from normal to transfer position.

WALTER H. WAKEFIELD. 

